The most common mode of failure for absorbent articles occurs when body exudates leak out of the gaps between the article and the wearer's legs and/or waist. When fecal material (e.g., runny bowel movement, a mixture of bowel movement and urine, etc.) is not absorbed into the topsheet and core of absorbent article, the fecal material can leak out of the gaps between the article and the wearer's legs or waist. In situations where a wearer exudes a higher quantity of fecal material—which is absorbed by the absorbent core more slowly than urine—the fecal material may move laterally along the body-side surface of the absorbent article and reach the barrier leg cuff. Fecal material may also travel longitudinally along the barrier leg cuffs or longitudinally up the gluteal grove of the wearer towards the waist. Due to the movement of the wearer and/or a shortage of available space under the barrier cuffs and/or within the absorbent article, the fecal material may leak out of the gaps between the article and the wearer's legs and/or waist. This results in soiling, wetting, or otherwise contaminating the wearer's clothing or other articles (e.g., bedding, furniture, caregiver clothing, etc.) that come in contact with the wearer's leaky absorbent article.
Accordingly, it is of continued interest to provide an economically viable disposable absorbent article with the ability to minimize the negative effects of bodily extrudate leaks, while also making it easier to clean the wearer when the soiled disposable absorbent article is removed. To that end, it is of continued interest to provide a disposable absorbent article having sufficient retention capability to safely and cleanly retain bodily extrudate away from the wearer's clothing and/or skin throughout the expected time of article use.